Camel Trekking & the Kasbah Trail

This Kasbah trail and the Sahara desert tour lets you experience wonderful scenery, magnificent Kasbahs and a camel trek into the desert over 4 days.

You will travel in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle with a private and experienced English speaking driver/guide during the whole road tour. Half-board accommodation is included throughout, and the camel trek will lead to an overnight camp in the desert. For your convenience, the camp is equipped with western bathrooms.

We offer a choice from three itineraries, which cater for different combinations of start and end locations – Marrakech or Fes.

We will meet you at your accommodation in Marrakech and start travelling to the Dades Valley via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass and over the High Atlas Mountains. Today you will enjoy travelling through the dramatic pass and the fascinating views of the Berber villages and the amazing landscape changing as the day progresses. You will stop in Ourazazat to visit the Kasbah Taourirt, one of the most beautiful Kasbahs on this area. You’ll have lunch by the Kasbah and continue to the Dades Gorge through the road of “the Thousand Kasbahs”, which offers many fine photo opportunities of nature and people. Your first stop will be at Skoura in the birds valley to see the standing 18th century Kasbah of Ameridhil, then we’ll get to Kalaat Mgouna - famous for roses and its annual festival during the roses harvest in May . On to the Dades Valley where you will enjoy seeing the amazing rock formation famous as “the monkey toes”. Overnight at Hotel Xalucadades or similar. Half-board (HB).

Day 2: Dades Valley - Todra Gorge – Merzouga - Desert

After breakfast in the hotel, you’ll leave the Dades valley towards Tinrghir and the Todra valley. Watch the panoramic views of the old mud Berber villages overlooking the valley. Get to the Gorge and walk under the 300m high red cliff, where many rock-climbers come to enjoy their preferred sport. After an optional hour hike within the valley, your journey continues to Erfoud and then to the village of Merzouga where your camel will be awaiting you. You will be welcomed with a glass of mint tea and a turban (desert scarf) before you mount your camel, guided by an experienced camel man, to explore within the mysterious sand-sea of the Erg-Chebbi. You will enjoy the beauty of the Sahara desert and the sunset over golden dunes. Afterwards, you will enjoy your dinner in front of the camp, where you will spend your first night under canvas - or if you prefer, under the stars. For your convenience, our camp is equipped with western bathrooms. (HB).

Day 3: Desert - Merzouga area - Ouarzazat

Your camel man will wake you up early in the morning to watch what well may be the best sunrise of your life. Afterwards, you will trek back to the village of Merzouga. Enroute you couldn’t fail to appreciate the unique beauty of the spectacular Erg Chebbi dunes - changing with the light as the day progresses. After breakfast in your riad, you will start an explorative journey of the area. You’ll visit the village of the Gnawa people, originally slaves brought from Sudan, to experience their music and lifestyle. After that, you leave for Rissani - once Sijilmassa - the foundation of the Alaouite Aynasty, the current ruling family. With most of the woman veiled, and men hooded, this is a very traditional Moroccan town. We’ll continue driving towards Agdez, via Alnif and Tazzarine, before we get to the fascinating Draa Valley at the edge of the Atlas Mountains, along which lay hundreds of Berber Kasbahs. On to Ouarzazat, where you will be accommdodated at Dar Chamaa or Riad Bouchedor. (HB).

Day 4: Ouarzazat - Telouet Kasbah - Marrakech

After breakfast in your riad, you will start travelling to Marrakech via the largest Kasbah in Morocco, and then over the Atlas Mountains. Your first stop will be at the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah. Built by one of the last Berber chieftain El Glaoui Et-Hami in the late 19th century, it is now a UNESCO heritage site, which today still houses many Glaoui family members. Journeying on through the Ounilla valley to Kasbah Telouet, you will enjoy the panoramic views and the scenic moon-like landscape with the contrast of the Berber villages and the Atlas Mountains. Today you will also visit the Kasbah Telouet, an area that was known for the trading caravans led by T-Hami El Glaoui ancestors during the end of the 19th century. Your journey will continue through the majestic Tizi n'Tichka Pass (2260m) over the High Atlas Mountains, before arriving at your accommodation in Marrakech where the tour ends.

Marrakech to Fes

We will meet you at your accommodation in Marrakech and start travelling to the Dades Valley via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass and over the High Atlas Mountains. Today you will enjoy travelling through the dramatic pass and the fascinating views of the Berber villages and the amazing landscape changing as the day progresses. Your first stop will be at the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, the largest Kasbah in Morocco. Built by the last Berber chieftain El Glaoui Et-Hami in the late 19th century, it is now a UNESCO matrimonial historical site, which today still houses many Glaoui family members. Lunch by the Kasbah and continue to the Dades Gorge through the road of “the Thousand Kasbahs”, which offers many fine photo opportunities of nature and people. Your first stop will be at Skoura in the birds valley to see the standing 18th century Kasbah of Ameridhil, we’ll get to Kalaat Mgouna - famous for roses and its annual festival during the roses harvest in May . On to the Dades Valley where you will enjoy seeing the amazing rock formation famous as “the monkey toes”. Overnight at Hotel Xalucadades or similar. Half Board (HB).

Day 2: Dades Valley - Todra Gorge - Rissani - Merzouga

After breakfast in the hotel, leave the Dades valley towards Tinrghir and the Todra valley. Watch the panoramic views of the old mud Berber villages overlooking the valley. Get to the Gorge and walk under the 300m high red cliff, where many Rock-climbers come to enjoy their preferred sport. You will enjoy a 2 hours hike within the valley; meet locals in their fields and learn about the local culture and geography. After lunch, your journey continues to Merzouga via Erfoud through the oasis of Tafilalet, the largest date palm grove in Morocco. You will have the opportunity to walk the authentic souk of Rissani, and learn about the trading caravans travelling as far as Timbuctu in Mali. Get to Merzouga in the afternoon and check in to your riad. Overnight at riad Nezha. (HB).

Day 3: Merzouga area and the Camel trek

After breakfast in your riad, you will start an explorative journey of the area; you will visit the nomads in their goat hair tent and learn about the desert life, afterwards you visit the Gnaoua people, originally slaves brought from Sudan; here you will have the opportunity to listen to their music and learn about their culture and lifestyle. Depending on the time of year you visit, you may have a visit to the lake of Merzouga and its bird population such as the “Flamingos”. After lunch, you will mount your camel, guided by an experienced camel man, to explore within the mysterious sand-sea of the Erg-Chebbi. You will enjoy the beauty of the Sahara desert and the sunset over the golden dunes. After the sunset you will enjoy your dinner in front of the camp where you will spend your first night under canvas - or if you prefer, under the stars. (HB).

Day 4: Merzouga - Ziz Valley - Midlet - Azrou - Fes

Early in the morning, your camel man will wake you up to watch what well may be the best sunrise of your life. You’ll peacefully camel-trek back to the village of Merzouga. Over the dunes, you couldn’t fail to appreciate the unique beauty of the spectacular Erg Chebbi sand dunes - changing with the light as the day progresses. After breakfast in your riad, you will start travelling to Fes via the Ziz Valley and Azrou. You will enjoy the fascinating landscape along the magnificent Ziz Gorges carved through volcanic rock, and through the Tizi n’ Talghamt Pass to Midelt. After lunch, you will continue through the Midlle Atlas Mountains and the Cedar Forest ,where you will see the Barbarian apes in the wild. Continue to Fes, where the tour ends at your accommodation.

Fes to Marrakech

Day 1: Fes - Azrou - Midlet - Ziz Valley - Merzouga

We will meet you at your accommodation in Fes and start travelling to Merzouga via Ifran and Midlet. During this journey you’ll experience glimpses of the Middle Atlas and Higher Atlas mountains. Stopping at Azrou, a Berber village in the middle of the famous cedar forest - the largest in Morocco – where you may well sight Barbarian apes. We’ll travel through the Tizi n’ Talghamt Pass to Midelt and along the magnificent Ziz Gorges carved through volcanic rock. Continue along the luxuriant Ziz Valley, stopping for panoramic views along the way. We will drive through welcoming Berber villages to Erfoud, and then Rissani, before you arrive to Merzouga . You will be welcomed by a glass of mint tea before you check in to your riad. Overnight at Riad Nezha. Half-board, (HB).

Day 2: Merzouga area - camel trek and overnight in the desert camp

After a luxurious breakfast in your riad you will start an explorative journey of the area. You will be visiting the Gnawa people in their village Khamlia , where you will learn about the Gnawa music and their lifestyle. Not far away you will visit the lake of Merzouga, with its bird population, including the flamingos. Afterwards, you will visit the old city of Rissani - the foundation of the Alaouite dynasty - the current ruling royal family in Morocco. Rissani is surrounded by 360 ksar (a fortified village with many towers) and has a big souk (an open market), held three times a week. Once called Sijilmassa, this was the meeting place for the salt caravans, coming from Timbuctou in Mali. Here you’ll walk through the souk, selling spices, vegetables and cloths. Drive back to the village of Merzouga. On the afternoon, you will mount your camel, guided by an experienced camel man to explore within the sand-sea of Merzouga. Dinner will be served in front of the tent where you will spend the night. (HB).

Day 3: Merzouga - Todra Gorges - Dades Valley

Early in the morning, your camelman will wake you up to watch what well may be the best sunrise of your life. Afterwards, you will peacefully camel-trek back to the village of Merzouga. Enroute you couldn’t fail to appreciate the unique beauty of the spectacular Erg Chebbi dunes - changing with the light as the day progresses. After breakfast in the riad, you’ll leave for Rissani , Tinghir, and Todra gorges - the highest, narrowest gorges in Morocco. Here you will have the option to hike for an hour within the valley, where you will meet locals and learn about the culture and geography. After lunch in the heart of the gorge, you will continue to the Dades Valley, where you’ll see the majestic sand castles and the amazing rock formations known as "monkey toes". Overnight accommodation will be at Xalucadades or similar. (HB).

After breakfast in your hotel, you will start travelling through the Dades Valley towards Ouarzazat and then to Marrakech. The route through Dades Valley is the way of the thousand Kasbahs – providing numerous opportunities to take some of your best photographic shots of the trip. You will stop at Kalaat Mgouna, "the rose city", where you will have the option to visit the cooperative for the roses, to purchase the rosewater, which will make your linen smell good a long time after your trip is over. Continue to Marrakech via the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah. Built by Et Hami El Glaoui, one of the last Berber chieftains during the 19th century, now the Kasbah is a house of many Glaoui people. Your journey will continue through the majestic Tizi n'Tichka Pass (2260m) over the High Atlas Mountains, before arriving at your accommodation in Marrakech.